Any Cab Widening/Sectioning Builds?

[CharlieSheen]

It's been a while since I have been on here,and I did a brief search,maybe not enough effort on my part.Has anyone on here posted a build or seen a decent article that involved widening the cab of a '47 to '54? I have a '53 GMC I am preparing to put the sawzall to it.

In brief,this build will be for a custom everyday work truck,with a lot going on all over it. 2 ton cab on late model 3500 chassis,LS engine,Service Body,racks, and a fabricated sleeper-type cab extension for a passenger and tool storage.I have been planning for a while and am looking at 2000 man hours to put in for it,no delusions.

Anyhow,a wider cab,in the 8 to 10 inch range will solve a bunch of problems and cause a bunch,like glass,hood,grille,etc...but I think I will regret not doing it,with all the other stuff being done.

So does anyone have some good info on this?

[mongocanfly]

trying to widen a cab is gonna cause a lot of issues..some you've already pointed out....LOTS of fab work...you stated 2t cab...all the AD cabs from 1/2t-2t are basically the same..they all have the same dimensions ..all the ADs over 1t have wider fenders,hoods that are also longer and taller and larger wheel openings......there are several very nice stretched cab AD builds on here..not saying it cant be done....

[mongocanfly]

heres a video of one that's been widened....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GowJeGcf_Kk

[CharlieSheen]

Thanks,the video was some help.This will not be a rat build,BTW. I plan to run 22.5s up front with 9r22.5s and stockish size 3500 tires in the rear,with a fender skirt to cover most of the wheel in the back anyhow.Dual rear.

I may give the cab some depth while I am at it.But not doing a crew...it's not a people mover.

[mongocanfly]

I wasn't really meaning build a ratrod...but that's the only widened cab I could think of...

[CharlieSheen]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

I wasn't really meaning build a ratrod...but that's the only widened cab I could think of...

The help is surely appreciated.I am just throwing out the build details as they come to mind.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hope you’re a helluva experience fabricator.

[CharlieSheen]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Hope you’re a helluva experience fabricator.

Pretty decent.Very lucky to have grown up with and be nearby to friends and some family that are first class level for a living.As long as I take the the lead and bust it as hard as I can,I will get the help from them when I need it.It's not getting farmed out.

[mr48chev]

There is a really nice widened cab short box in this area that I see once in a while in good weather but I have never managed to get photos of it. It isn't widened that much though.

If it were me I'd cut a strip out of the middle of the cab just wide enough to get away from the obvious center points of the cab and then cut strips out of a donor cab that width plus the added widening. That would leave the center area of cab's peaks and points alone. That I would do down to the seam on the firewall and I would make a new center section to replace the old one maybe using a wheelbarrow that was the right size.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by CharlieSheen

Pretty decent.Very lucky to have grown up with and be nearby to friends and some family that are first class level for a living.As long as I take the the lead and bust it as hard as I can,I will get the help from them when I need it.It's not getting farmed out.

Then I’m looking forward to watching. Please post progress photos. I’d hate to watch a hack job but if you can do it right, it’ll be a pleasure to watch....because I could NEVER do it....except in my dreams!

[_Ogre]

am looking at 2000 man hours to put in for it,no delusions.

imo you are delusional, i have a lot more than 2000 hrs in my truk that isn't widened or lengthened
though my truk does have a lot of custom modifications mostly bed and interior

i'd say your off by a factor of 2 or 3

my painter is widening and lengthening a 65 dodge truck to fit a v10 dodge srt truck frame
he's using all the srt frame wheelbase, firewall, dash and wiring
8'' wider, longer hood & fenders, 5'' door stretch, longer bed, all wheel opening adjusted for the srt frame
this is being done for a paying customer, will probably be a $400k+ bill by the time he is done

[whitedog76]

What is the purpose of widening the cab?

AD trucks have compound bends in their roof , hood, etc... Seems like it would very tough to mimic.

If you are using a 2 ton cab, why not use front sheet from a commercial truck?

If it still isn't wide enough, there are more than a few out there that have widened the front fenders on AD trucks.

[CharlieSheen]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

imo you are delusional, i have a lot more than 2000 hrs in my truk that isn't widened or lengthened
though my truk does have a lot of custom modifications mostly bed and interior

i'd say your off by a factor of 2 or 3

Very good post.I would say you are right in there.My brain was telling me to type another number...if I had I would have been too sick to my stomach to press the Post Button.

Good reminder for me to pick and choose my battles.Hours are hours and they don't fall off trees.

[CharlieSheen]

Originally Posted by whitedog76

What is the purpose of widening the cab?

AD trucks have compound bends in their roof , hood, etc... Seems like it would very tough to mimic.

If you are using a 2 ton cab, why not use front sheet from a commercial truck?

If it still isn't wide enough, there are more than a few out there that have widened the front fenders on AD trucks.

The quick answer is that I have become a spoiled brat,I guess the same as society has.This is to be an everyday truck for a construction guy.I need it to do the work and be as pleasant as what I am accustomed to.So,I need sufficient room inside.I could get into more if I had time.

The wide cab does a few things.Engine fits ,steering fits,hydroboost has room,more interior options and seat,and so on.Makes an easier transition to the wider body and equipment behind it,etc.

Maybe the fenders stay intact.

If you are saying there would be easier options to attain a "Cool Factor",no doubt.

[mongocanfly]

if your intent on widening a truck you might check some of the later yr models...most of those cabs are a little wider from the start....but would also be easier to widen as the bodies are not as complexly shaped as the ADs are..
but I luv my ADs

[dsraven]

if you are stuck on an AD cab, what about using the roof from another truck and make it fit? seen it done with an older ford I think. used the ribbed roof skin from an astro van. maybe not the look you are going for though since the roof on the AD is not really flat anywhere.
the nice thing is that the windows are split so it makes that part pretty easy since the glass is flat to start with. maybe get yourself an english wheel and practice a lot. check out some of the metal fab stuff by Lazze online, he has built some incredible stuff, like an old willy's coupe from scratch. he also offers classes. when it comes to roofs you gotta be slow or it will warp. I am sure you know that though. do you have the truck already? post up some pics of what you have. are you looking at a fully painted and smooth daily driver if not the rat rod look?

[whitedog76]

Don't want to poo poo on your idea, but this cab has plenty of room. It's riding on a 1 ton Dodge chassis.

[_Ogre]

^^^ very cool truck whitedog (and the correct color)

Good reminder for me to pick and choose my battles.

cool idea, i just imagine the follow thru to be unobtainable
though i do think it would make a good work truck with the cab as is
i understand the spoiled part, i've driven mostly apache's since the 70s
i bought my 09 gmc extended cab, 8 foot bed new, it rides like a cadillac compared to the old 38 panel truck

[whitedog76]

For my own purposes. I measured the interior room of my 54 cab. At shoulder height, I got 56. I also measured the same area in my F150, where I got 60"

Granted there are some different designs in the cab layout, doors, etc... Of course it's 50+ years of engineering and creature comforts at work.

I've seen a few trucks with extended cabs, extended doors, etc... I get it. I even had a conversation on pushing the firewall/toeboard area into the engine compartment recently.

I'm still not seeing the cab widening as viable.

[dsraven]

if you are thinking of widening 10 inches, lay down some masking tape and draw a line to extend the front window glass towards the center about 5 inches and see how close to the vent etc you come. that will be your windshield center point. realize the roof/firewall top area will need to be longer to accomodate that much more glass there. otherwise the angle of the windows, from outboard edge to inboard edge, will need to be changed to keep the center point where it is now, before widening. you will need to stretch the dash as well but that is not that big of a deal to add 10 inches in the middle, floor same, firewall same and maybe gonna need to modify that anyway for the engine combo, rear cab wall need to be stretched as well but the glass is flat too I think. some creative sheet metal work like the rest. honestly, it's gonna be a lot of work. make sure the rest of the cab warrants the work first. usually rusty around the front fender rear lower area and then the floors and cab corners.

[mr48chev]

He can keep the center point by doing like I said in post 9 and that is cut a strip out of the center of one cab just wide enough to take out the center point, cut the section out of the other cab with that width plus the amount he wants to widen it. That will most likely eliminate the cowl top vent but the truck will no doubt have AC so that is a moot point.

The glass will still be two straight flat pieces just five inches wider each than the original was.

Ir's going to be a bigger exercise in cutting, fitting and rearranging than my chop, section and stretch on my cab will be though.

[CharlieSheen]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

if your intent on widening a truck you might check some of the later yr models...most of those cabs are a little wider from the start....but would also be easier to widen as the bodies are not as complexly shaped as the ADs are..
but I luv my ADs

Yes,I agree for sure.I really don't know if there is a truck out there that is more complex and like sculpture more or less.It also doesn't have dominating body lines,makes the other parts of the truck a challenge to tie it all together.Yet the generations before and after all had strong body lines.

You get that little fever for something,well,what can you do.

[CharlieSheen]

Originally Posted by dsraven

if you are stuck on an AD cab, what about using the roof from another truck and make it fit? seen it done with an older ford I think. used the ribbed roof skin from an astro van.

I'm pretty open minded.It's getting clear that a donor cab is probably necessary.

[mongocanfly]

haha...I hear ya....sometimes I get things in my head and won't let it go....I'd be worried about keeping everything proportionate so it wouldn't look goofy.....that's one thing that's always bothered me about chop tops....some are well done and look good...some don't....

[mongocanfly]

yeah I agree...if you go forward with this you'd need a spare cab to cut up for parts...